A Christmas To Remember
by FabrevansXOXOBrittana
Summary: It's been two years since they've seen each other, but to him it feels like two minutes. When Jake and Marley throw a Holiday party, all of the old Glee club members are invited. A post-Christmas Kyder one-shot for you all. (Ignore the badly made icon. Sadly, I'm not SamEvans17 so I can't make flawless icons like she can.) Rated T to be safe!


**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or anything mentioned below.**

* * *

Here he was. Dateless at his friend's Christmas party. Looking like an idiot for what felt like the hundredth time in front of his old Glee club members.

_You're pathetic, Ryder._

Every girl. He had called every girl he knew and asked them to accompany him to Jake and Marley's Christmas party. But apparently everyone had plans or made up some kind of excuse.

So now he was currently sitting awkwardly in a chair, while nursing a cup of beer. But most importantly he was witnessing all of his peers laughing and kissing their partners.

However…there was one person missing.

_Her._

Ryder had been meaning to ask someone if they knew if she was coming, but he was too nervous to even think about saying her name. Every time he did, he couldn't think straight.

Technically, he hadn't asked _every_ girl to be his date to the party. He had wanted to call her. But he let negative thoughts eat at his mind for to long and came to the conclusion that she most likely had a boyfriend or wasn't even going to show.

Sighing, he began to chime in on Jake and Puck's conversation about a random topic.

"Ryder, could come help me out in the kitchen?" Rachel asked, beckoning to the room behind her.

Nodding, he stood and started towards the brunette.

"Whatcha need?" he questioned with a smile.

"Well first I need you to get me a bowl in the top cabinet, and then I need you to call Kitty and ask if she's-"

"Whoa, wait what?" he stuttered, confused about the second part of her command.

"…I need you to call Kitty, and see if she's on her way," she repeated, a bewildered expression upon her face, "Is that a problem? I can get Kurt to call, I just thought since my phone is charging you might wanna-"

"I-I'll do it. No problem. I just uh…haven't talked to her in a long time," the boy croaked, scratching the back of his neck.

A pleased smile spread across Rachel's face, a hint of curiosity still lingering in the girl's façade.

"Great. Thank you, Ryder."

He simply nodded, before whipping out his phone and hitting the contacts icon. Slowly, he scrolled down the list of people, stopping when his finger was over her name.

_Kitty Wilde._

Procrastinating, he realized he could just lie to Rachel and say he didn't have her number. But then again, why was he so afraid of calling a girl? It was a simple task, he had done it may of times before. So why couldn't he do it now?

Using all the courage that he had, Ryder pressed his thumb against Kitty's phone number, soon holding it to his ear.

After about three rings, he was greeted with the sound of her voice.

"Hello?"

"H-Hey," he cleared his throat, "Hey, Kitty. It's Ryder."

"Hey, Ryder," she responded, her voice sweeter than he remembered, "Whatcha need? Actually, where are you?"

"I'm at Jake and Marley's right now. Rachel needed me to call and see if you were coming. She needs to know how many plates to set out."

"Oh," Kitty said, almost quietly.

He detected a speck of despondency in her voice, but concluded that maybe she was just having a rough day.

"Yeah, I'm on my way. I'll be there in about five minutes."

"Okay, see you then. Bye."

"Bye."

With a click, the call was over. Ryder relayed Kitty's message to Rachel, then headed to the downstairs bathroom. Shutting the door, he observed himself in the mirror. His dark, green shirt hugged his torso, displaying his taut muscles and broad shoulders. The light brown hair on his head lay combed to the side, like always.

He wondered if Kitty looked the same as she did the last time he'd seen her.

…at Jake and Marley's wedding two years ago.

The boy found it unhealthy that he remembered what she was wearing that night.

_A light blue dress with her hair curled._

He had been wanting to call her. Maybe ask her to coffee. But these days he wasn't even sure if she lived in town or not.

Letting out a breath, he splashed some water on his face, in hope of waking himself up a little. Burying his face in a hand towel, he heard the doorbell ring.

Gulping, he stepped out of the bathroom and began descending the stairs. When he laid eyes on her, he had to stop and hold on to the rail for support. Kitty was practically glowing, her features gorgeous as always. The saturated blue knee-length dress she was wearing defined her small figure and displayed her tiny waist, along with the white, slimming tights warming her long legs.

He watched her hug the guests, taking in every one of the easy movements she completed. That was, until she noticed him basically hugging the stair's railing, a wonderstruck look upon his countenance.

"Hey, Ryder. Merry Christmas," she greeted, her eyebrow cocked at the sight before her.

Regaining his composure, he smiled at the blonde standing in front of him. Walking down the rest of the steps, he came to meet her.

The boy's breath hitched in his throat when she wrapped her arms around his large body, his own reflexively doing the same. He couldn't help but absorb the heavenly aroma that her hair produced, only making him want to stay holding her like this even more.

However, she recoiled from his embrace to go hug a giddy Marley.

"Kitty! Kitty, I am_ so_ glad you made it! Rachel, who'd you say called her again? Oh-Oh yeah! Ryder called you! He's so nice! Ya know I felt bad he didn't have a date, and I was gonna…I was gonna call you! But Jake told me to let him-"

"Okay, someone," Jake started, easily taking the red, alcohol-filled cup from his wife's hand, "has had too much to drink."

Giggling, the drunk brunette leaned into her husbands' arms, gazing up at his face.

Kitty recovered from having Marley yell in her face, and rotated to see if Ryder was still behind her.

Gone.

She figured Marley had embarrassed him enough, to push him to flee the room for some air. It had been some time since she had seen him. In her opinion, he looked great. Well kept as always. Same broad shoulders. Toned body. Old school Justin Bieber hair.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Puck's loud voice.

"Rachel, don't go out after him. Ryder's a grown ass man and shouldn't be pouting."

"I swear, he's never like this," Jake chimed in defensively.

Kitty sighed, smoothing over the skirt of her dress. Of course drama started when she arrived…

"But still, Puck you don't have to be so hard on him…"

The short girl defied her friend's command and opened the screen door that lead to the porch. Closing it behind her, she grinned as Ryder's head abruptly revolved to see his visitor. She folded her hands together, before slowly moving his way.

"Hey, big guy…listen-"

"Rachel, it was really nice of you to come out here, but I…I just…I don't even know! She-She just has me so caught off guard!"

Wide-eyed from his sudden outburst, she bit her lip. The pieces started to fit together in her mind.

"It's Kitty, isn't it?" she asked, her tone gentle.

Shutting his eyes, he hesitantly nodded.

_Am I that transparent?_

Rachel placed a hand on his back, a comforting expression on her face.

"There's no need to be embarrassed about what Marley said. Okay? No one's paying attention to what she's babbling. And Ryder, trust me, you need go back in there and be the strong person I know you are."

Waiting a moment for the information to sink in, he embraced her tightly.

"Thank you," he whispered into her shoulder.

Smiling ear to ear, she softly patted his back.

"No problem."

Pulling away from one another, the two strolled towards the door. Rachel halted him right as they reached the entrance.

"Shoulders back," she commanded, tilting his broad arms to make his posture straighter, "And chin up."

Doing as she told, he found himself feeling better. It was nice to know she cared about him.

It was now ten o' clock, and the entire household was roaring with laughter and chatter. Dinner had been peaceful with Sam, Santana, and Brittany arriving to join the party.

Now all the guests were either catching up with each other or getting drunk as heck.

Kitty threw her head back in laughter, the infectious sound filling Ryder's ears. The two had been visiting on the couch for quite some time now. She told him about her career in designing and how she'd been lately. He, on the other hand, spoke of his house and future plans. Once, he saw Rachel wink at him across the room, while giving him a thumbs up. He suppressed a laugh and continued conversing with the girl he had missed so much.

* * *

The party had died down to a quiet murmur, thanks to Santana and Brittany getting a room, and most of the guests leaving.

Ryder came down from the bathroom, dreading every second he was in there, because of the loud moans and noises he heard through the walls. His eyes searched for the honey tinted hair roaming the room, but Kitty was no where to be found. Panic rose inside his chest, but he managed to calm himself down.

Checking in the kitchen for her presence, he saw her vomiting in the sink. Running to her side, he gathered her long hair to the nape of her neck, hoping to help her out. When she was through emptying her stomach, she turned on the water and rinsed her mouth out.

Immediately, Ryder felt anger directed at Puck. He had bet Kitty if she could take seven shots, then he would do whatever she wanted. She won, and demanded he call Sue Sylvester to confess his love for her. The entire bet turned into a fiasco.

Now the girl was throwing up and ready to go home.

"R-Ryder.."

"Yeah, Kitty Cat," he responded, trying to cause her to crack a smile.

The blonde giggled, but instantaneously clutched her head. Grimacing, she planted her face in Ryder's shirt.

"Can you take me somewhere that has a bed? Preferably one with soft pillows…" she asked, her voice the most vulnerable he'd ever seen it.

"Of course. There may be one upstairs-"

"No, I wanna go somewhere else. L-Like not here."

Willing to provide for her requests, he nodded his head.

"Okay, so where do you wanna go?"

"My house it too far away…where do you live?" she questioned, staring up at him.

"I only live a few blocks away from here. I'd be glad to let you stay there."

"Thanks," she appreciated, curling up on his chest.

"Any time."

She conjured up the strength to stand on her own, and went to collect her belongings from the living room, the boy trailing behind her.

Rachel and Sam were the only ones in the room, chatting about various topics.

"Are you two leaving?" the short brunette asked.

"Yeah, we'll see you both tomorrow."

"Okay, make sure to stop by for lunch," Sam added, his expression tired.

"We will. Bye, guys."

The four friends exchanged goodbyes, before Kitty and Ryder were out the door.

"Do you want me to drive your car?"

"It's okay…just take me to your house," she replied, yawning in the process.

Nodding his head, he unlocked the car doors for them, opening Kitty's for her.

* * *

"You can sleep in my room. The guest bedroom is really messy from wrapping presents," the brunette announced, scratching the back of his neck.

Thanking him for his hospitality, she followed him to his bedroom, absorbing the neat space around her. The house had Ryder written all over it. Everything from the shade of blue on the walls, to the simple furniture sitting on the brown hardwood floors.

He swung open the door, the girl entering slowly, taking in her surroundings.

The bed was made in a mediocre fashion, as she would have figured. Running a hand along the gray comforter, she stared at him.

"Are you sure it's okay if I sleep here?" she asked, her tone almost quiet.

Answering her question, he undid the blankets on his bed, before patting the space.

"It's all yours."

Grinning, she hopped on the mattress, bouncing a few times. She erupted in a fit of giggles, before exhaustion settled over her once more. A slow pain began in her head, and she regretted ever consuming alchohol that night. Laying on the soft bed, she rubbed her temples in hope of pacifying her headache. She was transported back into reality, when Ryder's voice echoed through the room.

"Here," he offered, handing her a cotton t-shirt, "I know you probably don't wanna sleep in those clothes."

Her heart warmed at his kindness, sending the sensation throughout her body. Accepting the black garment from him, she held it to her chest. Blushing, she glanced at the boy beside her.

"Could you…um?"

A look of embarrassment and understanding flooded Ryder's face.

"Yeah, sorry…"

He fled to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Kitty slipped out of her party clothes, then changed into Ryder's shirt. The fabric was long enough to flow over her pink panties, assuring her that she would be covered if she needed to get up. Pulling the sheets over her body, she gently yelled through the wall that she was dressed.

Peeking in from the bathroom, he slowly guided himself to the exit of the room, stopping in the doorway.

"Goodnight, Kitty."

"Goodnight, Ryder."

The sleepy blonde watched as he left her and headed to the couch, noticing the way his shoulders were greatly defined from the back. Suddenly, she felt very alone in the king size bed. Like she was drowning in covers and nothing else. Pulling her knees to her chest, she bit her lip.

_Just go to sleep, Kitty._

Closing her eyes, she tried to do as her mind commanded. She found trying wasn't enough and there was no way she was going to be able to drift to a peaceful slumber. Not when she was feeling this alone.

Crawling out of bed, she tippytoed her way in the dark to Ryder on the sofa. Kitty cursed the inventor of beer, when she had to steady herself against the wall because of her senses that were dulling by the minute.

"Ryder," she whispered, gingerly nudging him on the arm, "Ryder."

Awakening, he hurdled himself forward to a sitting position, softly grabbing her forearm.

"What's going on, are you okay?"

Smiling to herself in the pitch, black night, she calmed him.

"I'm fine…it's just…"

Holding her hand, he carressed her palm.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he questioned, no longer whispering.

Even though the light was dim, she studied his toned abdomen, seeing he was only in his boxers.

"Nothing, I was just wondering… if you could come lay with me. It's really lonely in there…"

Not asking any questions, he stood, her hand still enclosed in his own. The two strolled their way back to Ryder's room in the dark, Kitty grasping his arm for balance.

He tucked her in the previous spot she had occupied, walking to the opposite side of the bed to lay down. Once resting his head on the pillow, he felt a small hand interlace it's fingers with his.

Ryder then came to the conclusion that maybe the girl that had haunted his thoughts for as long as he could remember, wasn't too busy for him.

The two fell asleep listening to the steady sound of each other breathing.

* * *

**A/N: I was feeling festive, so I figured this needed to happen. Kyder at Christmas time = ADORABLENESS! On a more serious note, I hope you all had a happy and safe holiday season. R & R if you'd like! Mwah. 3**


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